Daily Yellowstone journal., 1887-05-13
RABlAH'S LAST RIDE.

This is the relation of the death OF
Firaz, according TO the legend transmitted
from generation unto generation by the
rawis, or ~reciters of poems and Of great
deeds.
And il is written down in the common
tary which Abou Zakariyah Yahyah-al-
Tibrizi made upon those mighty poems
chanted before Islam which are called
Hamasah-a word signifying all that is
stalwart and noble in a MAINLAND in the
Hamasah the place of the legend of
Rabyah is in the second books which is
the Book Of Dirges." But the tale
hath also been told by Al-Maidani, and
Abou Riyash; and il is likewise preserved
in the great Kitab-al-Aghani, or Book
Of Songs" collected and written down
by Ahou l Faraj Al lspahani, who de-
voted fifty years alone TO the study of the
poems and the legends of the Desert Arabs
of old.
Eabyah. son of Mokaddem, Of the BENZ
Firaz. was famed as the bravest and the
strongest and the most generous Of his
tribe what time lie lived, and he was
celebrated as an escort. For from the
day that he had, single handel. as a very
young man, successfully defended his
bride, Raytah. against the hOrsemen Of
the Beni-Djoucham on a foray, the
women deemed it no little honor to have
Rabyah as their escort. And no woman
ever intrusted herself TO the protection of
Rabyah for the journey to whom any
mishap befell while he remained with
her.
Now on the day Of lis death Rabyah
was escurting a caravan Of women
through the country OF the Beni-Sulaim.
and lac was the only hDrseman with them.
For though there had been blood between
the Beni-Firaz and the B~eni-Sulaim, the
price of blood had ben paid. and it was
thought peace had been brought about.
And the mother and sister Of Rabyah
were with the carr van.
And all that lalid was yellow and dry
o. long dead bone; and it was strewn with
great stones that seemed TO have been
scared and so blackened they were. And
the pass leading TO their own country
the Pass Of Ghazal-was still far off when
Rabyah, looking back, saw a distant
rising of dust. like the smoke of a fire
newly kindled. Now Rabyah rode upon
his favorite gray mare, Ghezala. whom
no desert steed might eve overtake, but
he rode slowly for the sake of the
who were mounted upon camels.
SO he drew rein and gazed at the dust
cloud and perceived a CLEAN break
through il, and another, and another and
many glimmerings-a lightning Of lances.
And looking a little while longer. he
could discern a company Of men in helms
of iron and shirts Of mail riding upon
lean, black horses; and as they sped
swiftly he knew the helm of the horse
man who led them-Nubaishah, Of
whom it was said that Death. the mother
Of v%ultures, ever rode with him.
Then Rabyah spurred in haste after the
women. and urged on faster the toiling
camels, and said unto his mother: There
Is treachery, o mother! La. Nubaisllah.
the son of Hahib. pursueth us with the
wild men Of Sulaim." And even as he
spoke, the far off drum roll Of galloping
hoofs broke heavily upon tier ears
through the hot and thirsty air.
And turning his mare round Rahyah
added: Haste We toward the pass while
j strive TO hold them back; aud | shall
meet We all at the pass, 10 hold it 50 that
ye can reach our tents and rouse the
horsemen.' And he rode 10 meet the
wild men OF Sulaim. while the women
urged their beasts faster over the dusty
path.
Then Rabyah's sister. QUINN Amr.
cried out in fear, and those with her Ia
mented as they saw Rabyah ride back all
alone. But his mother, QUINN Saiyar.
chided them. saying:
while there remaineth ~ much as
one drop Of blood in his veins, no sun Of
mine will ever fail 10 do the deeds If a
man and the duty If a man. Have no
fear, We foolish ONES! when did Rabyah
ever fail {" protect a woman: How
MANY such robbers as thoSe hath hr not
harasssl rr" this. even rs lizlrls in their
desert holes ARE harass,pl Will Il stick!
How many an enemy corps" hath he
not left Ia be dcvoured by the lions Of
the wopds, 10y the ancient eagles Of the
hills! Ia how many encounters hath lie
not been hard pressed before-ay, even
tightly pressed n the sandal strap I've
tween the toss of the wearer: Know yc
not tlat my son is unto men as a beacon
hglt-ay, us the signal fires that he
lighted upon mountain topsI'
Yet Babyah's sister only would not he
comiorted. and she wept and said:
''Surely my brother hath never before
been placed IN any peril like unto this
peril, for the men Of Sulaim are many,
and il hath ever been said Of Nubaishah
that Death, the mother Of vultures, rides
with him.
But QUINN Saiyar answered her
sharply: ''lie that feareth death, verify
death shall lind him, though he have a
ladder long enough 10 climb to heaven
upon. Better is death than shame! Fear
rather for thine own honor, girl-urge
ON thy beast while Rabyah holds them
back
Then Rabyah. alone, stroye against all
the swarm Of Sulaim.
Now in Arabia there was no archer
more skillful than Rabyah. and he bent
his bow against the pursuers: and witt
his first shaft he pierced the throat Of
son Of Sulaim, 80 that the horseman die
upon his horse, and with his second III
nailed the thigh Of another to the ribs o
his animal, and with his third he shat
tered the swordarm of the strongest Su
laimite; and, seeing that il was labyah
the men Of Sulaim fed from his archery
and hn lrnun tI.or. InnL rnt farther